When I was a kid, one of my parents would always take me with them on voting day. I remember at least one instance when I arrived late to school because my father and I were voting. Well, I wasn’t exactly voting, but he was and I was standing by his side.

My grandmother has always been passionate about politics and history. She lives by a certain election year credo: Vote early and vote often. Not bad for a woman in her 90s.

I remember the polling places of my youth. The flags, men in suits and ties, the quiet hum of the fluorescent lights above, the smell of old coffee and plates filled with glazed doughnuts.

Neighbors would greet one another warmly, cast their votes in private and continue on with their day like normal, except that day, Election Day, warranted a sticker on one’s chest. “I voted,” the sticker pronounced.

As I have mentioned in this column before, I grew up in Ohio. That doesn’t count for much except in November every four years. My county in Ohio is Hamilton, and our closest major city is Cincinnati. Every four years, the pundits hone in on the county, essentially promising victory to the candidate that wins there.

I write this having just voted. I like voting as a Georgian. It is kind of mysterious.

The next four years are going to present us with enormous challenges. I would like to discuss one here today: Education.

We have a choice. We can stand by and watch as our counterparts around the world continue improving their childhood education systems or we can join them.

Joining them would mean creating an education system on our shores that challenges students, focusing on science, technology, engineering and math. Real subject matter that prepares our future leaders for 21st century jobs.

Re-engineering our school systems is the biggest challenge we will face, for one simple reason. The students currently enrolled in K-12 will develop, deploy, consume and create the systems of the future. They will work in industries that don’t yet exist. These industries don’t exist because these students haven’t created them yet.

We have no concept of what cars, computers, homes or the food we consume will look like in 30 years. And we have absolutely no idea what companies will be around in 30 years to produce the goods we will consume. Our current K-12ers are that industry, and we as community have the opportunity now to ensure success for future generations.

Classroom reform is overdue. Everything is tied to the education of our youth. Literacy, salary, crime and poverty. Statistics reinforce what seems obvious: Failing students struggle to become successful adults. It’s that simple.

Our future is tied to educating our youth.

This isn’t a Savannah problem. This isn’t a Georgia problem. This is a national epidemic. Change our education system, empower and educate our youth, and the work will pay dividends for years to come.

When I arrived late to class after my father and I had voted, I remember him signing me in at the principal’s office. I wasn’t scolded for being late that day. The folks in the office understood what my father was doing. He was looking out for his future.

Now is the time that we as a nation do the same thing.

Jake Hodesh is the executive director of The Creative Coast, a not-for-profit organization that promotes the creative and entrepreneurial community within the region. Jake can be reached at 912-447-8457 or jake@thecreativecoast.org.